Nissan's New Nismo Hot Hatch Has An Unusual Powertrain

There is a gas engine under the hood, but it doesn't drive the wheels.

Nissan Aura Nismo RS concept

Photo by: Nissan

Adrian Padeanu

By: Adrian Padeanu

Jan 9, at 2:13am ET

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The Breakdown

The Aura Nismo RS is a widebody hot hatch with all-wheel drive.
Nissan installed a 1.5-liter combustion engine that works as a generator to charge the battery.
The front and rear axles are powered by electric motors.

Nissan recently announced plans to double its Nismo performance-car lineup to 10 models over the coming years. At the ongoing 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon, it's showing its commitment to hot hatchbacks. While the Aura Nismo RS concept might come as a surprise to some, it’s not without precedent. There's already a non-RS version on sale in Japan.

But first, what is the Aura? Essentially, it’s an upmarket version of the Note, a subcompact hatchback that Nissan has been selling in Japan since 2004. The third-generation model launched in 2020 and received a facelift in 2024, at which point the Nismo version was also updated. At TAS in Japan this week, the company is showing off a spicy RS derivative, complete with a widebody and a mighty rear spoiler as part of an aggressive aero kit.

Nissan dropped the ride height by 0.8 inches (20 millimeters) and beefed up the fenders by 5.7 inches (145 millimeters) for extra visual drama. It’s also 5.6 inches (142 mm) longer than the standard Aura and carries around an additional 220 pounds (100 kilograms), tipping the scales at 3,285 lbs (1,490 kg). The performance hatch rides on Nismo-branded 18-inch black wheels, features bigger brakes, but sticks with a simpler torsion-beam rear suspension.

Photo by: Nissan

Echoing the non-RS version, the hotter concept has a combustion engine that isn’t mechanically linked to the wheels. Nissan’s e-Power setup employs a 1.5-liter gasoline engine that serves as a generator to charge the battery, which in turn powers electric motors mounted at each axle. Yes, this is an all-wheel-drive hot hatch, whereas the Aura Nismo comes standard with FWD and offers AWD as an option.

As for power, the three-cylinder engine produces 142 horsepower and 184 pound-feet (250 Newton-meters) of torque. Nissan rates the front motor at 201 hp and 243 lb-ft (330 Nm), while the rear motor is good for 134 hp and 144 lb-ft (195 Nm). The Aura Nismo RS concept actually borrows its drivetrain from the much larger X-Trail/Rogue Nismo introduced last year.

Nissan isn’t committing to a production version for now, but says it plans to upgrade and race the car before potentially putting it on sale. Given that this Aura generation is already five years old, a Nismo RS is likely to serve as the model’s swan song.

Nissan Aura Nismo RS concept

Source: Nissan

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Motor1's Take: Although the car is unlikely to be sold outside Japan, if it ever reaches production, at least it’s not another crossover. Nissan already has plenty of Nismo-branded SUVs, so broadening the portfolio with other body styles is the right move.

That said, the car’s appeal among enthusiasts may be limited. Not necessarily because of the tiny engine, the Toyota GR Yaris also uses a three-pot, but because that engine doesn’t drive the wheels. The Aura Nismo RS behaves more like an electric performance hatch, a far cry from the days when Nissan famously stuffed the GT-R’s engine into the Juke.

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Source: Nissan

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